Gauntlet

The classic Gauntlet represents a style of game that doesn’t see much time in the limelight anymore. Mechanically simple, the game derived its immense replay value through addictive gameplay, multiple classes, and light randomization. Even its closest successors favor heavy role-playing elements over light arcade action, and that’s left a big hole that Warner Bros.’ new Gauntlet reboot could easily have filled.

This makes the way the game ultimately turned out even stranger in retrospect. Developed by Magicka house Arrowhead, Gauntlet borrows more than just the game’s quirky sense of humor. The Wizard class in particular plays almost exactly like the wizards in Magicka, with players combining spells to create new ones. There are tons of combinations to discover and the freeform nature of the spellcasting makes the Wizard the deepest and most rewarding class to play in the game.

Unfortunately, it also represents how fast and loose Arrowhead plays with the core nature of Gauntlet. This isn’t the simple and addictive arcade game you may remember from the old days. Gone are the days of lightning-quick attacks and only the Wizard and the Archer have ranged attacks. It’s definitely a different style of gameplay and while that doesn’t necessarily make it worse, it might not be what you expect.

One element that this new Gauntlet has retained from the original is the fun multiplayer mode. Playing with three buddies is basically essential and there’s a solid metagame in which players compete to wear the first place crown and earn more gold. There are ways to steal the crown from your friends but environmental hazards and traps can be used to easily steal it back. If you want to be "that guy", you can also still shoot the food, robbing friends of needed sustenance. Each character has its own set of skills and its own playstyle, so there’s a lot of value in working together and experimenting with new classes.

After the Wizard, the elven Archer is probably the most interesting class. It plays more like a dual-stick shooter than a typical hack ‘n slash game, with spread shot and other abilities rounding out the arsenal. The Warrior is a more standard class, with big swings dealing heavy damage over a wide area. Finally, there’s the Valkyrie, who adopts a defensive playstyle with her large shield. All of the classes have their own strengths and weaknesses but playing with the Wizard’s complex arsenal makes the others feel lacking in comparison.

Grabbing gold and food as a group is fun too, because pickups are shiny and make a nice, classic bing sound when collected. The pickups are just about the only part of the game’s presentation that stands out, though, thanks to the dull color palette and restrained visual effects. It lacks the stylistic panache of its distant cousins, Diablo and Torchlight. Additionally, the levels are small and constrained even in comparison to the old Gauntlet.

If you can look past Gauntlet’s dull visual palette and don’t mind not playing as the Wizard, the game makes for a solid way to waste away the hours with three friends. It’s far from revolutionary, but there’s enough fun in shooting the food and grabbing the gold to warrant a try. Solo runs are a different story, however. Without friends there to help, there’s no metagame to engage in, no interplay between classes, and no reason to continue running through the drab levels. The only saving grace for the single-player is the humorous tips which pop up during the loading screens - “Hints appear during loading screens” is my personal favorite - but even that feels out of place in a Gauntlet game.

Gauntlet could’ve perhaps been more memorable had it further embraced its roots as a simple arcade game. The levels are small and dull, and single-player is a generally joyless affair. Under the right set of circumstances, though, the game can be fun thanks to its varied classes and trolling-heavy metagame. Shooting the food with three friends can still be a great time, but you’ll have to temper your expectations.

Gauntlet: Slayer Edition

Gauntlet: Slayer Edition is a passable action-RPG for those desperately looking for a dungeon crawler to play with friends but it doesn’t offer much in the way of replayability or unique concepts to really recommend past that.

Lichdom: Battlemage

Lichdom crafts an intoxicating blend of frantic, skill-based combat and deep role-playing mechanics that makes it a solid choice for action fans. The bullet sponge enemies prevent the mage from feeling as powerful as he could, but the sheer variety of spells on display counts for a lot, as does the precision and speed needed to excel in the game’s larger battles. If a fast and brutal magic melee is what you’re after, Lichdom fits the bill nicely.

Fenix Rage

Inconsistent hit detection and a lack of feedback on respawns rattle the careful balance needed to maintain the fun in all the challenge, and the minigames that were intended to break up the flow end up stopping it dead in its tracks. Even so, there’s a solid gimmick at the heart of the game, and there are some golden levels contained within the massive campaign. It lacks the heart and the polish of its peers, but Fenix Rage is a competent platformer nonetheless.

Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy bridges the gap between the old classics of the SNES days and newer indie titles of this generation. Its old-school graphical look and amazing soundtrack mesh with its clever gameplay concepts to create something truly unique. While boss battles can create a bit of a grind and the occasional glitch is fairly noticeable, I truly enjoyed my time with Rogue Legacy. Its fluid mix of combat, platforming, and smart humor made me enjoy each of my 100+ run throughs just as much as any other. After spending nearly 20 hours with the game I can honestly say I’d love to jump right back in, if only to conquer the castle just once more.

Transistor

Transistor isn’t perfect, there are issues with the combat system and sometimes the art gets in the way of the combat itself but that isn’t enough to deter this masterful execution of storytelling. Supergiant Games is quickly becoming a studio that can regularly tell a great story without having to compromise with cheap thrills and predictable plot threads. Subtlety is Transistor’s greatest strength and it uses it well in both its story and its combat at times.